New Boat Pics

**Mrs. Crappie Stalker** · 03-16-2014, 12:04 PM

Originally Posted by Wood

Were you looking for an "06" or got lucky to find one? Did you use a website to find it and if so, which one? Very happy for you guys. Awesome boat. I think that I've settled on this boat as well due to the big water usually encountered on Lake of the Ozarks. Does the wind blow you around at all with the high sides. Seems worth the dryer ride.thanks for any info.

We fished in fairly windy conditions a couple weeks ago and the boat did great. I don't think it sits as high in the water as something like a deep V Lund plus, it's a heavier boat. Your best bet is to get on walleye central and search their classified ads. Paul and I both checked the site every day and looked at a LOT of boats online. We were hoping to find something we could afford that was at least an 05 if possible. Our first choice for the engine was a Yamaha, just because we've had such good luck with the 3 we've had. This one has a 200hp Evinrude Etec and so far it's running great, starts easy, and is surprisingly quiet for a 2 stroke. We knew we would have to make some modifications to suit us for crappie fishing. The two biggies were dual seats up front and could we "make" a front live well. Paul built our dual seat rig and because the riding seats are pedestal, which lets you sit higher, we don't have to pull a front fishing seat out to see where we're going every time we move. We have a cooler and baitwell up front and as it turns out, when you pull the minnow bucket out of the circular opening in the bait well, it's a wide open compartment and plenty big enough for 10 -12 crappie so you don't have make as many trips to the back live well when the fishing is good.

Beware, if you find a boat you really like and want, jump on it quick. Most of these boats go super fast when they post them for sale. We had one sold out from under us before we found this one. The fella who we bought it from had 3 cash offers (full asking price) while we were making the 12 hour drive up there. He was a good guy though, kept his word and we got the boat. Good luck on the hunt.

**Wood** · 03-16-2014, 08:09 PM

Thanks for all the insights. It's very helpful. I'm sure that you and Paul are enjoying that boat on the windy days. It would be a huge difference from my 22' Express Camo duck boat. I'm inexperienced with buying online or from a blog. How did you know if the boat and engine was up to snuff enough to jump in the car with a check to buy a boat unseen and not checked out? I'm guessing there's a method since people seem to do it all the time.

**Mrs. Crappie Stalker** · 03-17-2014, 08:18 AM

Originally Posted by Wood

How did you know if the boat and engine was up to snuff enough to jump in the car with a check to buy a boat unseen and not checked out? I'm guessing there's a method since people seem to do it all the time.

This was the first time we've done something like this. I called about it first and talked to the seller and then Paul talked to him as well. I asked him to email as many pictures as he was willing and he was really cooperative about that. He sent pics from every angle, inside and out and answered every question we asked him. We made contact with him on a Wednesday and were headed to Iowa on Friday after work and we talked back and forth the whole time, which was reassuring to both parties. You never really know for sure, but he seemed like a real straight up guy and we were impressed by all the information he gave us and that he stayed in contact. He made a promise that he wouldn't sell it out from under us while we were making the trip. Of course, I'm sure he was as worried about us actually showing up as we were about it still being there. It was a whopping 13 degrees the morning we actually saw it in person and yes, I'm a wimp, I stayed in the truck while they took a test ride on the MS river. We took a risk, but even after the long drive, the cost of fuel and hotel, if we had seen something we really didn't like, we would've come back home empty handed. There were some things we just couldn't check out, like the live well and bilge pumps because it was so cold. Water was freezing on the boat before it could even drip off as we pulled it out of the water. The trolling motor had some issues and he'd had it worked on and thought it was fixed. After we got it home, we didn't like the way it sounded, had it worked on again. It still didn't seem quite right and we just replaced it. I sure don't wanna be in the middle of a tournament or on a vacation trip and the tm dies. The electronics on it weren't bad, a little older, but none were sidescan units. There are 3 units on the boat and we've upgraded one so far but it'll be a few months before we upgrade the next one.

**Wood** · 03-17-2014, 04:11 PM

Thanks so much for your patience and all the information. It's very helpful. I hope you and your husband enjoy your new boat and everything goes well.

**Cane Pole** · 03-17-2014, 06:01 PM

I like the boat but I love the owners.

Thread: New Boat Pics

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